Julia Papale

Associate Professional Clinical Counselor

Online therapy for women in California

About Julia Papale

Hi, I’m Julia, an Associate Professional Clinical Counselor supervised by Cyla Fisk, LMFT. Before moving back to my hometown of San Francisco, I lived in the hustle and bustle of NYC working first in the art world and then in the travel space. I love hiking, exploring the California coast, seeing live music, and spending time with my tribe of family and close friends.

My own healing work inspired me to become a therapist. The road was windy, and I felt discouraged at numerous points along the way. My hope is that I can walk alongside you on your path, calling upon my focused clinical training and my own life experience.

I love working with individual clients seeking a more meaningful connection to themselves, to others, and to the complex experience of being human. My specialties include family of origin and relational trauma, self-worth and self-esteem, relationship challenges, anxiety, binge eating and bulimia, and emotional regulation.

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“The most beautiful thing about growth is that it’s not about becoming something new; it’s about uncovering who you’ve always been.”

– Dr. Thema Bryant-Davis

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Clinical Focus

My approach to therapy is holistic. I want to hear your story and understand how early life trauma or stressors still live within you – in your mind, body, heart, and spirit. I pull from psychodynamic theories which help us to understand how your past influences your present, especially unhelpful patterning that may no longer be serving you. My hope is that we can cultivate a profound understanding of your inner world and deepen your connection to your body’s intelligence in service of self-awareness and lasting change. We will do this through parts work, body-oriented practices, and a relational and experiential approach that privileges what happens in the present moment.

Starting this work can feel intimidating, which is why finding the right therapeutic fit is so important. Trusting the process is advice that I was given and still hold dear. Healing isn’t always linear, it’s a process of becoming and unfolding, which happens in the sacred space that is therapy, facilitated by the relationship between us. My commitment to you is that I will show up with the utmost presence and compassion – there will be warmth, zero judgment, and sometimes humor, as we embark on this journey together.